English Language Arts
Descriptor
Reporting Category
Grade
Assessment Anchors and Eligible Content Aligned to the Pennsylvania Core Standards
Eligible Content
A-K.1.1.1
A-K.1.1.2
A-K.1.1
A-K.1.1.3
Literature Text
A-C.2.1
A-C.3.1
A-C.2.1.1
A-C.3.1.1
A-V.4.1.1
A-V.4.1
A-V.4.1.2
B-K.1.1.1
B-K.1.1.2
B-K.1.1
5
B-K.1.1.3
B-C.2.1.1
Informational Text
B-C.2.1
B-C.2.1.2
B-C.3.1.1
B-C.3.1
B-C.3.1.2
B-C.3.1.3
B-V.4.1.1
B-V.4.1
B-V.4.1.2
Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when
drawing inferences and/or making generalizations from the text. Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how
characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem
reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story, drama,
or poem, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).
Describe how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view influences how events are
described; describe an author’s purpose and explain how it is conveyed in the text.
Compare and contrast stories in the same genre on their approaches to similar
themes and topics.
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and
phrases based on grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of
strategies.
a. Use context (e.g., cause/effect relationships and comparisons in text) as a clue
to the meaning of a word or phrase.
b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to
the meaning of a word (e.g., photograph, photosynthesis).
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances
in word meanings.
a. Interpret figurative language (e.g., simile, metaphor, personification) in context.
b. Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.
c. Use the relationship between particular words (e.g., synonyms, antonyms,
homographs) to better understand each of the words.
Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when
drawing inferences and/or making generalizations from the text.
Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by
key details; summarize the text.
Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events,
ideas, steps, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific
information in the text.
Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities
and differences in the point of view they represent.
Compare and contrast the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison,
cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information and text
features in two or more texts.
Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a
text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s).
Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to demonstrate
subject knowledge.
Interpret text features (e.g., headings, graphics, charts) and/or make connections
between text and the content of text features.
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and
phrases based on grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of
strategies.
a. Use context (e.g., cause/effect relationships and comparisons in text) as a clue
to the meaning of a word or phrase.
b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to
the meaning of a word (e.g., photograph, photosynthesis).
c. Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and
phrases used in a text.
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances
in word meanings
a. Interpret figurative language (simile, metaphor, and personification) in context.
b. Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.
c. Use the relationship between particular words (e.g., synonyms, antonyms,
homographs) to better understand each of the words.
Note: “Stories” means narration of events told through the text types of stories, dramas, or poems.
Grade 5
September 2013
Page 1
English Language Arts
Descriptor
Grade
Reporting Category
Assessment Anchors and Eligible Content Aligned to the Pennsylvania Core Standards
Eligible Content
C.1.1.1
C.1.1
C.1.1.2
C.1.1.3
C.1.1.4
C.1.1.5
C.1.2.1
Writing
C.1.2.2
C.1.2
C.1.2.3
C.1.2.4
C.1.2.5
C.1.2.6
C.1.3.1
C.1.3.2
C.1.3
C.1.3.3
C.1.3.4
C.1.3.5
D.1.1.1
D.1.1.2
5
D.1.1
D.1.1.3
D.1.1.4
D.1.1.5
D.1.1.6
Language
D.1.1.7
D.1.1.8
D.1.2.1
D.1.2.2
D.1.2.3
D.1.2
Text-Dependent Analysis
D.2.1
D.1.2.4
D.1.2.5
D.2.1.1
D.2.1.2
D.2.1.3
D.2.1.4
E.1.1.1
E.1.1.2
E.1.1
E.1.1.3
E.1.1.4
E.1.1.5
E.1.1.6
Introduce a topic or text for the intended audience, state an opinion, and create an
organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer’s
purpose.
Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details.
Link opinion and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently,
specifically).
Establish and maintain a formal style.
Provide a concluding section related to the opinion presented.
Introduce a topic for the intended audience, provide a general observation and focus,
and group related information logically to support the writer’s purpose.
Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information
and examples related to the topic.
Link ideas within and across categories of information using words, phrases, and clauses
(e.g., in contrast, especially).
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the
topic.
Establish and maintain a formal style.
Provide a concluding section related to the information or explanation presented.
Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters;
organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally to support the writer’s purpose.
Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, description, and pacing, to develop
experiences and events or to show the responses of characters to situations.
Use a variety of transitional words, phrases, and clauses to manage the sequence of
events.
Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events
precisely.
Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.
Explain the function of conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections in general and their
function in particular sentences.
Form and use the perfect verb tenses (e.g., I had walked; I have walked; I will have
walked).
Use verb tense to convey various times, sequences, states, and conditions.
Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.*
Use correlative conjunctions (e.g., either/or, neither/nor).
Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and
run-on sentences.*
Correctly use frequently confused words (e.g., to, too, two; there, their, they’re).*
Ensure subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement.*
Use punctuation to separate items in a series.*
Use a comma to separate an introductory element from the rest of the sentence.
Use a comma to set off the words yes and no (e.g., Yes, thank you), to set off a tag
question from the rest of the sentence (e.g., It’s true, isn’t it?), and to indicate direct
address (e.g., Is that you, Steve?).
Use underlining, quotation marks, or italics to indicate titles of works.
Spell grade-appropriate words correctly.
Expand, combine, and reduce sentences for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.
Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.*
Choose punctuation for effect.*
Choose words and phrases for effect.*
Introduce text(s) for the intended audience, state an opinion and/or topic, establish a
situation, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to
support the writer’s purpose.
Develop the analysis using a variety of evidence from text(s) to support claims, opinions,
ideas, and inferences.
Link ideas within and across categories of information using words, phrases, and clauses
(e.g., in contrast, especially).
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the
topic and/or convey the experience and events.
Establish and maintain a formal style.
Provide a concluding section related to the analysis presented.
Note: Asterisk (*) indicates that the particular Eligible Content appears in all succeeding grades.
Grade 5
September 2013
Page 2